Method of making cemented shoes



June 27, 1939.

C. MILLER METHOD OF MAKING CEMENTED SHOES Filed Nov. 19, 1954 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented June 27, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,163,696 METHOD OF MAKING CEMENTED SHOES Application November 19, 1934, Serial No. 753,585

12 Claims.

The present invention relates to the shoe manufacturing art and, more particularly, to the art of making cemented shoes.

In making high-grade cemented shoes, it is of the utmost importance that the adhesive between the upper and the forward portion of the insole be disposed in the form of a thin layer in order that the adhesive when hard should not detract substantially from the flexibility of the forward portion of the shoe. However, in prior art methods of applying the adhesive, particularly when the adhesive is a pyroxylin or Celluloid cement which is usually the case, the adhesive is deposited on the insole in the form of a narrow but rather thick viscous layer which is subsequently spread and formed into a thinner layer when the upper is lasted and the marginal edge portions thereof are folded over the insole and pressed against the adhesive. When the upper is thus lasted and the marginal portions thereof are thus pressed against the adhesive, the layer of adhesive is not as thin as it should be in order not to interfere substantially with the flexibility of the shoe. It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide means for and a method of obtaining a thin layer or film of adhesive between the upper and the insole, particularly at the forward portion of the shoe.

In the prior art methods of lasting the upper o and pressing the marginal portions thereof against the insole after the adhesive is applied, the adhesive is spread toward the edges of said marginal portions with the result that the inner marginal portions of said upper, that is, the excess of lasting allowance, which must be trimmed off before applying the outsole adhere firmly to the insole and can be removed only with great difficulty and loss of time. It is, therefore, another object of the invention to prevent the excess of lasting allowance from adhering to the insole.

In side lasting the upper and folding the marginal edge portions thereof over the insole, after the adhesive is applied, there is utilized, generally, a hand method lasting machine sometimes referred to as a nigger head. A further object of this invention is to obtain a thin layer of adhesive between the insole and upper and to confine the area of adhesion between the upper and insole during the operation of the hand method lasting machine.

4 Another object of the invention is. generally to improve the flexibility of cemented shoes, particularly at the forward portions thereof.

The above objects of the invention and other objects ancillary thereto will best be understood from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying drawing,

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of an insole and upper on a last in one stage of manufacture of the shoe according to the present method;

Fig. 2 is a more or less diagrammatic view with parts in elevation and parts in section, illustrating the relation between the shoe and parts of the lasting machine;

Fig. 3 is a. perspective view of a novel element of the present invention;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating the final lasted condition of the upper prior to the attachment of the outsole; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective View of a modification of the member shown in Fig. 3.

According to the present method, there is preferably utilized an insole 10 having a rand l2 outlining a recess I4 in the forward portion thereof in which a raised portion on an outsole (not shown) is fitted according to the Sbicca method of making cemented shoes as illustrated in United States Patent No. 1,838,708. This insole is temporarily attached to the last l8 and then the upper 20 is app-lied. The marginal edge portion of the upper at the heel may first be adhesively united with the insole and held in position by tacks 22 which may be applied on a bed lasting machine. Then after a layer of adhesive, such as pyroxylin cement, is applied to the outer marginal edge of the insole, the upper is subjected to the action of a hand method lasting machine provided with a novel element designed to facilitate the performance of the present method as will hereinafter more fully appear.

Referring now to Fig. 2, there is illustrated a gripper of a hand method lasting machine of the type illustrated in United States Patent No. 584,- 744, said gripper comprising jaws 24 which are operated to grip and pull the upper over the last and inwardly over the sole in different successive locations along the edge of the last bottom as. the operator moves the shoe in different positions. While this is done, tacks 26 are driven in by a part of the machine (not shown) through the marginal portions 28 of the upper and through the insole-rand l2 for temporarily holding the marginal portions 28 securely in positionuntil the adhesive has properly set. The gripper and tacking mechanisms are well known lasting instrulmentalities of this well known machine and need no further description as they are per se not parts of the present invention.

During theabove described operation of the lasting machine in pulling the marginal portions of the upper over the insole rand and pressing the same against the latter, it is desirable to confine the area of adhesion between the upper and the rand to the outer marginal portion of the rand so that the inner marginal portion 39 of the upper, that is, the excess of lasting allowance, will not adhere to the rand portion 32. This excess of lasting allowance is usually trimmed off, later in the: process of making the shoe, to expose the inner portion 32 of the rand surface for direct adhesion to the outsole when the latter is applied. According to the present method, the trimming-edge portion or excess of lasting allowance 30 is maintained out of contact with the insole in the manner illustrated in Fig. 2, so that it is prevented from adhering to the insole. For this purpose it is preferable to employ a part of the lasting machine and this is done in the present case by utilizing the sole rest member 34. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3 the member 34 is, in general, somewhat similar to the sole rest member of usual construction and comprises a shank 36 which may be adjustably mounted in a bracket 38 on the lasting machine, but the forward portion 40 of said member is specially constructed whereby to accomplish the objects of the present invention. Accordingly, said portion 41! comprises a forwardly extending, substantially horizontal, fiat projection 42 which is preferably in the form of a wedge terminating in a thin edge 44. Said portion 40 also comprises a projection or heel 46 which extends below the projection 42 whereby to contact the inner edge of the rand when the projection 42 overlies the insole, as illustrated in Fig. 2, thereby constituting a guide and also a stop to limit the extent to which the projection 42 is inserted between the upper and the rand. As here shown, said heel 46 extends preferably for the full width of the projection 42. A recess 48 is provided at the lower end of the shank 36 in the upper surface thereof for clearance to prevent contact between said shank and adjacent movable parts of the machine. In certain cases, as for example, where a full insole is utilized, the heel 46 may be dispensed with, as. illustrated in Fig. 5 which shows a member 34 of the same construction as the member 34 except for the absence of the heel.

In performing the present method, after the adhesive is applied, the shoe is supported against the pull of the gripper by the solerest member 34 and is so positioned with respect thereto that the projection 42 is interposed between the portion 32 of the insole and'the trimming-edge portion or excess of lasting allowance 30 of the upper thus preventing said portion of the upper from being pressed against the insole. Thus the area of adhesion between the marginal portion of the upper and the insole is confined substantially to the outer marginal portion thereof which it is desired to unite permanently in the process of making the shoe, and, since the inner marginal portion of the upper, that is, the excess of lasting allowance, is free from the insole, the trimming on of this portion is greatly facilitated. Also, by this method the adhesive is spread more thinly than in the prior practice by the action of the thin edge portion of the projection 42 and the relative motion between the latter and the shoe which occurs as this operation takes place. The thinner layer 'of adhesive is obtained also because less adhesive may be applied, since the adhesive is confined largely to those portions which are to be permanently united, and it is unnecessary to apply more adhesive than is actually necessary for this purpose, whereas in the prior practice more adhesive than is necessary for this purpose is used because some of the adhesive intended primarily for the permanent union of the parts is wiped over the edge portion 30 of the upper and over the surface 32 of the insole and is thus wasted, while in some areas of the parts intended to be united permanently, the excess adhesive. is retained. In other words, according to the present method, the adhesive is applied thinly and is properly spread substantially uniformly over the areas of permanent contact, this being accomplished by the above described action of the projection 42 when the shoe is properly presented thereto as illustrated in Fig. 2, while in the prior art practice the adhesive is applied too thickly and is spread irregularly over the areas of permanent contact as well as beyond said areas where the adhesive is not only wasted but also seriously interferes with the subsequent step of trimming the upper. Fur thermore, actual experience in the practice of the present method as compared with the prior method has demonstrated that the operator in performing the present method tends to apply the right amount of adhesive while in the old method the operator tends to apply even more adhesive than is necessary even allowing for the waste which is inevitable for the reasons previously. mentioned. Since the adhesive is relatively expensive, a considerable saving is thus effected by the present invention.

Thus it is seen that the method and apparatus herein described are well adapted to fulfill the objects of the present invention. It will be understood however that certain changes and omissions may be made. Therefore, the invention is not to be limited to the precise disclosure herein contained, except as may be required by the appended claims and the prior art, and unless otherwise specified, the steps of the method may be performed in a sequence which differs from their order of recitation in the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a method of making cemented shoes in which there is utilized a hand method lasting machine having a sole rest and instrumentalitiesfor lasting the upper and temporarily securing the marginal portion of an upper to an insole on a last, the steps of applying adhesive between said insole and marginal portion of the upper and presenting the upper and insole on the last for action by said instrumentalities while holding the last bottom against the sole rest in such position that the sole rest is interposed between the insole and the trimming-edge portion of the upper.

2. In a method of making cemented shoes in which there is utilized a hand method lasting machine having a sole rest and instrumentalities for lasting the upper and temporarily securing the marginal portion of an upper to an insole on a last, the steps of applying adhesive between said insole and marginal portion of the upper and presenting the upper and insole on the last for action by said instrumentalities while holding the last bottom against the sole rest in such position that the sole rest is interposed between the insole and the trimming-edge portion of the upper, and trimming off said last mentioned-edge portion of the upper.

3. In a method of -making cemented shoes in which there is utilized a hand method lasting machine having instrumentalities for lasting the upper and temporarily securing a marginal portion thereof to an insole on a last, the steps of applying adhesive between the insole and marginal portion of the upper and presenting said upper and insole on the last for action by said instrumentalities while interposing means between said insole and a trimming-edge portion of said upper to prevent a direct attachment between the latter.

4. In a method of making cemented shoes in which there is utilized a hand method lasting machine having instrumentalities for lasting the upper and temporarily securing a marginal portion thereof to an insole on a last, the steps of applying adhesive between the insole and marginal portion of the upper and presenting said upper and insole on the last for action by said instrumentalities while interposing means between said insole and a trimming-edge portion of said upper to prevent a direct attachment between the latter, and removing said trimmingedge.

5. In the method of making a cemented shoe having an insole comprising a rand outlining a recess in its forward portion and an upper having a marginal portion overlying said rand and adhesively united therewith, and in which method there is utilized a hand method lasting machine having a sole rest and instrumentalities for lasting said upper and temporarily securing the marginal portion of the upper to said rand of the insole on a last, the steps of applying adhesive between said rand and marginal portion of the upper and presenting the upper and rand on the last for action by said instrumentalities while holding the last bottom against the sole rest in such position that a portion of the sole rest is interposed between the rand and the trimming edge portion of the upper.

6. In the method of making a cemented shoe having an insole comprising a rand outlining a recess in its forward portion and an upper having a marginal portion overlying said rand and adhesively united therewith, and in which method there is utilized a hand method lasting machine having a sole rest and instrumentalities for lasting said upper and temporarily securing the marginal portion of the upper to said rand of the insole on a last, the steps of applying adhesive between said rand and marginal portion of the upper and presenting the upper and rand on the last for action by said instrumentalities while holding the last bottom against the sole rest in such position that a portion of the sole rest is interposed between the rand and the trimming edge portion of the upper, and trimming off said last mentioned portion of the upper.

7. In a method of making cemented shoes in which there is utilized a hand method lasting machine having a sole rest provided with a forwardly extending portion and a heel projecting below said portion, said machine also having instrumentalities for lasting the upper and temporarily securing the marginal portion thereof to an insole on a last, and in which method there is utilized an insole having a rand outlining a recess in the forward portion of the insole, the steps of applying adhesive between said rand of the insole and said marginal portion of the upper, and presenting the upper and insole for action by said instrumentalities in such position that the forwardly extending portion of said sole rest is interposed between said rand and said upper and the heel of the sole rest is disposed in said recess in engagement with the inner edge of the rand.

8. In a method of making cemented shoes in which there is utilized a hand method lasting machine having a sole rest provided with a forwardly extending portion and. a heel projecting below said portion, said machine also having instrumentalities for lasting the upper and temporarily securing the marginal portion thereof to an insole on a last, and in which method there is utilized an insole having a rand outlining a recess in the forward portion of the insole, the steps of applying adhesive between said rand of the insole and said-marginal portion of the upper, and presenting the upper and insole for action by said instrumentalities in such position that the forwardly extending portion of said sole rest is interposed between said rand and a trimming edge portion of said upper and the heel of the sole rest is disposed in said recess in engagement with the inner edge of the rand, and trimming off said last mentioned portion of the upper.

9. That improvement in methods of making shoes which comprises applying cement to the opposed surfaces of the lasting allowance of a shoe upper assembled upon a last, progressively working successive portions of the shoe upper over the last bottom, turning each successive portion of the excess of lasting allowance into an upstanding position with respect to the last bottom by forcing it into contact with an abutment, utilizing the same abutment repeatedly in lasting successive portions of the upper, and inserting a temporary fastening through the overlasted upper close to the abutment in each of its successive positions.

10. That improvement in methods of making cement-lasted shoes in which there is utilized a hand method lasting machine having a sole rest and instrumentalities for lasting the upper, which comprises the steps of applying adhesive between an insole on a last and the marginal portion of the upper, and presenting the upper and insole on the last for action by said instrumentalities while holding the last bottom against the sole rest in such position that the sole rest is interposed between the insole and the portion of the upper which is subsequently to be trimmed off.

11. That improvement in methods of making shoes which cmoprises applying cement to opposed surfaces of the lasting allowance of a shoe upper assembled upon a last, progressively working successive portions of a shoe upper over the last bottom, and utilizing an abutment to maintain each successive portion of the excess of lasting allowance out of contact with the last bottom by bringing it into direct engagement with said abutment, the said abutment being used repeatedly in lasting successive portions of the shoe upper.

12. That improvement in methods of making shoes which comprises applying cement to opposed surfaces of the lasting allowance of a shoe upper and insole assembled upon a last, progressively working successive portions of the shoe upper over the insole, and utilizing an insoleengaging abutment locally to engage the insole and to maintain each successive portion of the excess of lasting allowance out of contact with the insole by bringing it directly into contact with said abutment.

CHARLES MILLER. 

